Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when his Department plans to allow the reopening of outside play areas that have been closed due to the covid-19 outbreak.

Many outdoor recreational areas, including outdoor play areas, remain closed as there is a higher risk of close contact and people touching surfaces. Over the coming months, the Government will introduce a range of adjustments to current social distancing controls, timing these carefully according to both the current spread of the virus and the Government’s ability to ensure safety.

These will happen in "steps" with strict conditions to safely move from each step to the next. The Government will monitor closely the effects of each adjustment, using this to inform next steps. The Government’s roadmap to recovery can be found here https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/our-plan-to-rebuild-the-uk-governments-covid-19-recovery-strategy.

Any changes to rules in relation to outdoor play areas will be widely communicated.